SCRANTON AREA FOUNDATION INC

FUND ADMINISTRATIONCELEBRATING ITS 70TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (SACF) SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED ITS IMPACT, DISTRIBUTING OVER $5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HUNDREDS OF NONPROFIT AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND $776,660 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 207 AREA STUDENTS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE FOUNDATION ADDED 54 NEW FUNDS IN 2024, INCLUDING 30 NON-ENDOWED FUNDS AND 24 ENDOWED FUNDS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FUNDS TO 370. THIS GROWTH REPRESENTS STRONG COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE IN SACF'S STEWARDSHIP AND EXPANDING PHILANTHROPIC ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE REGION.THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ALSO SERVED AS ADMINISTRATOR FOR TWO PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, THE NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION AND THE ROBERT H. SPITZ FOUNDATION, OVERSEEING OPERATIONS, GRANTMAKING, AND COMPLIANCE.COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LEADS SEVERAL COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THESE PROGRAMS BRING TOGETHER DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS-NONPROFITS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EMPLOYERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS-TO CREATE LASTING SOLUTIONS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, ANIMAL WELFARE, AND NONPROFIT CAPACITY BUILDING. WORKING TOGETHER, THESE INITIATIVES BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES AND CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.NEPA THRIVESNEPA THRIVES, AN EQUITY-DRIVEN WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, ADVANCED COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS REGIONAL WORKFORCE CHALLENGES ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE INITIATIVE DEEPENED PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT DATA-DRIVEN ASSET MAPPING, IDENTIFYING CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, HOUSING, AND BROADBAND ACCESS GAPS THAT IMPACT WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION. AS A HOST SITE FOR THE NEPA WORKFORCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, NEPA THRIVES BEGAN IMPLEMENTING KEY RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPED BY THE 2023 FELLOWS, TRANSLATING CROSS-SECTOR INSIGHTS INTO ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, NEPA THRIVES IS WORKING TO CREATE SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGE AND PROMOTE INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY ACROSS THE REGION.NEPA MOVESNEPA MOVES, A TRANSPORTATION EQUITY INITIATIVE, ADVANCED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MOBILITY ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE INITIATIVE HOSTED REGIONAL FORUMS UNITING EMPLOYERS, TRANSIT AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADDRESS TRANSIT CHALLENGES. IT LAUNCHED THE NEPA TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS SURVEY TO GATHER CRITICAL INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYERS ABOUT MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. NEPA MOVES ALSO WORKED WITH WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION PARTNERS TO BETTER ALIGN TRANSIT ACCESS WITH TRAINING PROGRAMS AND JOB HUBS, WHILE EXPLORING MICROTRANSIT, VANPOOLING, AND LAST-MILE SOLUTIONS WITH REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS. THESE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS ARE HELPING TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE REGION.WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY (WIP)IN 2024, SACF'S WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY INITIATIVE AWARDED $35,000 IN STRATEGIC GRANTS TO ADVANCE EDUCATION, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE INITIATIVE EXPANDED ITS FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS-OFFERING MATCHED SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS-WHILE ALSO ADVANCING A PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO RESTORATIVE DENTAL CARE. WIP CONTINUED TO INVEST IN LOCAL WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THROUGH ITS MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM AND SUSTAINED ITS COMMITMENT TO STEAM EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS. WITH MORE THAN 125 ACTIVE SUPPORTERS AND OVER $1.6 MILLION RAISED SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY REMAINS COMMITTED TO CATALYZING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE FOR WOMEN, GIRLS, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. NEPA ANIMAL WELFARE COLLABORATIVETHE NEPA ANIMAL WELFARE COLLABORATIVE, A REGIONAL INITIATIVE CONVENED BY THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, CONTINUED STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS AND PROMOTING HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE COLLABORATIVE SUPPORTED INCREASED ACCESS TO LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER AND VETERINARY SERVICES, HOSTED REGIONAL ROUNDTABLES TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES, AND PROVIDED CAPACITY-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL SHELTERS AND RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH SHARED RESOURCES, ADVOCACY, AND COLLABORATION, THE INITIATIVE WORKED TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITIES CARING FOR THEM.NEPA GIVESIN JUST 24 HOURS, THE FIFTH ANNUAL NEPA GIVES RAISED OVER $1.23 MILLION FOR 241 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF NEARLY 7,000 DONORS. HOSTED BY THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS AND SPONSORS, THE JUNE 6-7 GIVING EVENT AWARDED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN PRIZES AND MATCHING FUNDS TO AMPLIFY DONOR IMPACT. SINCE 2020, NEPA GIVES HAS RAISED OVER $5 MILLION, STRENGTHENING LOCAL NONPROFITS THROUGH THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE GIVING.CENTER FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE OF THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO BUILD CAPACITY AND STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA'S NONPROFIT SECTOR. THE CENTER OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF ACCESSIBLE WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND TRAININGS ON BOARD GOVERNANCE, FUNDRAISING, COMMUNICATIONS, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. PLANNING IS ALSO UNDERWAY FOR THE 2025 NEPA LEARNING CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BRING TOGETHER NONPROFIT PROFESSIONALS FOR CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, AND SKILL-BUILDING. THROUGH ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, THE CENTER REMAINS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR REGIONAL NONPROFITS SEEKING TO ENHANCE THEIR IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY.